How ‘Unique Leader Records’ flourished through the pandemic
Riding high on a successful string of releases, Unique Leader Records CEO Jamie Graham chats with Haulix about how his label continues to thrive amid an ongoing global pandemic.
by James Shotwell of Haulix
When Jamie Graham took over Unique Leader Records following the untimely death of founder Erik Linmarkin in 2019, nobody knew what would come next. Graham was suddenly leading a global music company with a thriving roster of hardworking young talent and an inbox flooded with the dreams of aspiring musicians. The young industry mind had to work fast to get on his feet, but another unpredictable event happened almost as soon as he found his footing.
“We probably had nine to eleven releases in various stages of rollout when March (2020) happened,” Jamie explains while speaking from his home office. “I was actually on the road at the time, and I remember we got a message that everything was canceled. It was a crazy time.”
Metal, much like rock and roll, will never die. However, that doesn’t mean the genre pioneered by legendary bands Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and Deep Purple hasn’t found itself on life support once or twice in its nearly 100-year existence. One decade rock and metal define our culture, but the next, they take a backseat. That ebb and flow will continue throughout time, and it’s the duty of the labels and bands in the genre to weather the storm.
Even before the pandemic hit, rock was already suffering. A years-long stretch of falling behind the streaming numbers of pop and hip-hop has left the genre struggling to break new talent on a massive level, and the pandemic only made matters worse. As artists hunkered down at home, the label had to step back and reevaluate every aspect of its business. Were releases still going to come out, or would they be shelved until reopening? When would vinyl be available? For artists who were writing, how could they record? Where would the money come from to cover the bills and keep everyone paid?
The answers labels and music professionals came up with in response to these concerns are countless. For Jamie Graham and Unique Leader, their choice was to double down on digital marketing efforts while continuing to search for and nurture the next generation of genre-defining talent. Many chose a safer path, but two years on, Graham and the Unique Leader team are experiencing one of their biggest growth periods yet.
In the latest Music Biz ‘Fast Five’ interview, Jamie Graham chats with host James Shotwell about the pandemic’s effect on his business, the talent he supports, and his views on the industry overall. The conversation inevitably runs long, so the pair also discuss the secret to landing a deal with Unique Leader. Check it out:
James Shotwell is the Director of Customer Engagement at Haulix and host of the company’s podcast, Inside Music. He is also a public speaker known for promoting careers in the entertainment industry, as well as an entertainment journalist with over a decade of experience. His bylines include Rolling Stone, Alternative Press, Substream Magazine, Nu Sound, and Under The Gun Review, among other popular outlets.
